The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-09-15


Frsa the Caroline asanaaaas.
Eassrs Flsridiaa !: Perhaps hns from the
"IAnd Of the Sky" may b Of soma interest to
your readsrA Leaving home on he second In
slant We reached Townsville 10 time TO take
the 10 p. IL Inst mail. Owiag b the numer-
ous washouts 5" through Georgia and South
Carolina we had TO purchase tickets by the long
and circuitous route via Savannah, Charleston
and Wilmington-thence directly across the
State Of Ner,h Carolina 70 Charlotte, Salisbury
and on to Asheville Along through North Car
DINA are the finest crops of cotton and corn they
have had for twenty years l was amazed to
see such crops. especially cotton did not think
the old North State was capable Of such produc-
ton. In the "olden time there was not bale
of cotton made in many of the sections through
which we passed; now there are thousands and
thousands OF bales produced every year, (another
reason for the low price of the stape) many large
fields looked as if they would yield half bale TO
the acre. Arrived at Asheville on the night OF
the 4th right in the midst Of the most awful
thunder storm we ever witnessed. Next morn
ing as We looked out from the windows Of our
hotel the scene was not inviting. streets full OF
mud, dense heavy fog hiding the mountains from
VIEW anu every tuiuS dItUSCtuCI uuOVClJ INV
ever the mists soon began to clear away, the sun
came out and the mountains in all their grandeur
and beauty were before US. Asheville is q
wonderful place; my first visit there was
eleven years ago. 1 was there again in
1877, again in 1882 my family was there
last summer. so have had pretty fair oppor-
tunity of noting the great and almost miracu-
lous changes in the place. from little old tum-
ble-down place, sitting quietly, serenely and
peacefully under the shadow of the grand old
mountains, of few years ago, it has grown TO
be a rushing, active, busy city, growing and i'm
proving every day, fine residences and store
houses sprnging up all over the city-eighteen
of the latter are now in process of erection-a
telephone system in operation, gas works nearly
ready for lighting the houses of the town, cleo
trio lights illuminate the city at night perfect
system OF water works will soon supply the city,
q company has made arrangements to build q
street car track and run street cars 10 the place ;
land is fabulously high; several half-acre lots
sold on Patten Avenue, few days ago, for
5000 and upwards per lot. There is also Q
mammoth cotton factory in process Of erection,
large ice factory, planning mills in successful
operation. three tobacco factories, four large
tobacco warehouses, which sold over 1000 900
pounds last year, &c. There are thousands of
visitors this year, some from nearly all sections.
of the American continent What has wrought
this great change? Railroads! and thus ii iciu
be tctM Tallahassee soon Gerry soon!
We only spent little over two weeks in Ash
vile; the writer was very sick, nearly the
whole time, and thought change would be
beneficial, so our party came out to this place.
which is twenty five miles from Ashville. Sew
era hundred feet higher, is lively little town
in the very heart OF the mountains. Here we
have good hotels, good fare and the white sui
phur springs. the water of which is the finest
the writer ever drank, and which has proven
efficasious in his case, having wonderfully i'm
proved in health. The climate here is simply
delightful. We have good fires morning and
night, sleep under heavy cover and during the
day, even IN the sunshine, it is pleasant to walk
and drive. The view from the balconies Of our
hotel is describable-mountain after mountain
on every side as far as the eye can reach, the
contemplation of which inspires one with silent
awe at the grand and mighty works of God.
Mrs T. and the young ladies of our party are
growing fat on mountain air. beef, lamb, butter
milk and honey. The writer being like one Of
"Pharaoh's Lean Kind" does not take on much
flesh. We sojourn here awhile longer, and
thence to Connolly Springs, where we will re-
main until last of September, thence Home
Sweet Home" THEo TURNBULL
WAYNEsvILLE, n. c., Aug. 90, 1897